Abstract
Objective In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), low-dose glucocorticoids (GCs) demonstrate disease-modifying potential when added to DMARDs. Modified-release (MR) prednisone taken at bedtime (released 2am) is more effective than immediate-release (IR) GC taken in the morning. Methods In an open-label observational study, 950 RA outpatients (mean age 57 ± 13 years; 75% females) treated with GCs and DMARDs (83.7% methotrexate, 10.5% leflunomide; 15.8% biologics) were switched from IR-prednisone or 6-methyl (6M)-prednisolone to low-dose MR-prednisone and followed for 4 months. Morning stiffness duration (MS), pain intensity (numerical rating scale [NRS], 0-10), patient and physician global assessment (GA, 0-10 scale) and disease activity score (DAS28) were assessed at baseline, 2 and 4 months. Results 513 patients were switched to MR-prednisone from IR-prednisone (9.4±5.4 mg) and 437 from 6M-prednisolone (6.7±3.7 mg). Among 920 patients (96.8%) completing 4-months' MR-prednisone treatment, MS decreased from 58±37 min at T1 to 32±24 min at endpoint (p
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 498-505 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology |
Volume | 31 |
Issue number | 4 |
Publication status | Published - 2013 |
Keywords
- Circadian rhythms
- Glucocorticoids
- Modified release
- Morning stiffness
- Rheumatoid arthritis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Rheumatology
- Immunology
- Immunology and Allergy